Years ago my mother used to make this baked sandwich, and I couldn’t wait for it to come out of the oven with all the crispy melted cheese. I used two extra-large pita bread rounds and cut each in half, filled them with grated extra sharp cheddar (Cabot) and two slices cooked applewood sliced bacon per half and baked on sheet pans at 350 for about ten minutes. Unable to find my first NYTimes matzoh ball recipe I cheated and got the box. After cooking the matzoh balls I added them to boxed organic chicken stock with a few slices of roasted carrots from Christmas dinner. Jim loved the soup and sandwich combination.
A tiny bit of matzoh meal is all it takes to make dinner for at least four diners! Jim had seconds, I’ll have to send a box or two to his mother in TX. I had the honor of bringing her to her first deli. Folks from rural areas there don’t know about hot pastrami or latkes but they do know their brisket, except it’s smoked. Jim’s uncle crafted his own smoker and babysits his briskets for 13 hours!
As for the soup, it’s Jewish penicillin! Who am I to talk, raised Catholic with a Christian husband. I just know from being filled with smoked meat as a child, by relatives in Montreal it was a natural progression to the Jewish deli and its delicacies.
Now I need to know what to do with the rest of the lamb. I’d like to do a shepherd’s pie but Jim has had enough bad restaurant versions in the UK to turn off that one. If I can find ramekins today I’ll try a pot pie with veloute, carrots, fresh green beans, chopped lamb, perhaps a potato or two and frozen puff pastry as a crust. It’s a shame to waste four ribs of a rack of lamb. Before I do this, he may have me put on snowshoes or skis so if I do not return to this blog, I fell down a mountain and crashed.
Two days from now, call 911, Val The Vet for Zoe, cook and maid service for Jim. Given that as a possibility, we may try snowshoes or go bowling. Yes, bowling might work. The last time we went was years ago. There was an expert practicing on a lane alone right next to us. I hit a possible spare that needed a 7-10 split to make. Dumb beginners’ luck I hit it. The expert congratulated me and made my day.
Yes, let’s stick to ground-based activities. First comes taking Zoe out and making breakfast, perhaps cheese omelets and maple sausage. Hot biscuits. It looks cold out there this morning and we’re using the shades for warmth but I can feel the cold coming in through the glass wall of windows out to the nature preserve. Wishing you a happy holiday weekend! Cheers, Dee
Cooking with Dee 